The Question Hour on Monday was marred by sloganeering and apparent disinterest on part of the legislators. The last session before the State goes for polls the next year, the hour was dominated by slogan-raising Bains brothers and one after another protests by the Congress MlAs.
To make the matters worse, a few were busy with their mobile phones, though its use is prohibited inside the House.
It was not business as ususal. The House, that met at 2 pm, was adjourned till 2:30 pm after paying tribute to its former deputy speaker Panna lal Nayyar.
As soon, the proceedings started again with the question hour, Congress MlA Sunil Kumar Jakhar alleged that the Speaker has rejected the entry passes for the common people to watch the House proceedings.
“I had requested to telecast live proceedings of the House, but today, you have even rejected the entry passes…I am saying it with full responsibility,” said jakhar, who was supported by other MlAs.
Rebuffing the allegations, the Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal said that he had not stopped any passes while asking him to send the entire list and he would give the passes.
Taking up the questions, Atwal grated extension to a query posed by Congress MlA Randeep Singh Nabha regarding the State’s Food and Civil Supplies Department’s employees being chargesheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) — displeasing the legislator.
Just as he protested, the Speaker assured Nabha that he would be given a written reply by the concerned Minister.
Next came the protest by Bains brothers — the independent MlAs Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjit Singh Bains. They raised the issue of charging bill from Rajasthan Government for giving them State’s water — an issue on which they were thrown out of the House on Friday. They were supported by Pargat Singh, after resigning from SAD’s membership.
Atwal’s repeated pleas failed to calm the protesting Bains brothers, forcing the Speaker to continue with the question hour, amidst sloganeering by the Bains brothers. As the Bains brothers continued to speak on top of their voice in the House asking the Speaker to explain why their resolution was not allowed, Atwal told them that they must know the procedure and in case they didn’t, he invited them to his chamber later to explain that.
Intervening, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Mohan Mittal asserted that decorum should be maintained.
Meanwhile, Congress MlAs too raised voice for giving extension to an important question, while Bains brothers were pressing for an answer by the Speaker.
“Speaker is not supposed to give answer…Government has to give answer,” said Atwal, as Bains brothers continued their slogans against the Speaker.
Atwal repeatedly invited the Bains brothers to his camber to explain the procedures and rules that would satisfy them.
Just as the proceedings were on, Congress MlA Sukhjinder Randhawa asked the Speaker to first resolve their (Bains brothers) issue and them go ahead with the proceedings as nothing could be heard.
Congress legislature Party (ClP) leader Charanjit Singh Channi also asked the Bains brothers as to clarify what they wanted and not to disrupt the proceedings of the House. Congress MlA Kuljit Nagra also asked the Speaker to first discuss what was bothering the Bains brothers and transact the business of the House later.
In the meantime, questions were answered by the Ministers, with almost no discussion, except the one regarding enhancing daily wages of cooks under mid-day meal (MDM). Only the MlA concerned was listening and posing queries. Out of 15 questions taken up, four have been granted extension.
As Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema replied that no proposal was in Government’s consideration regarding enhancing cooks wages under MDM scheme and Chief Minister has sought increase in their salaries by the Centre, the Congress started sloganeering.
After entering the well of the House, they staged a brief sit-in seeking a response from the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. “CM is sitting here…have some pity,” said Congress MlA Nagra.
That was not all! While one of the Congress MlA, though first-timer was seen talking on his phone inside the House, another group of party MlAs were seen showing a video clip to others. Even one of the Minister was also engaged with his mobile-phone.
AMRITSAR TEHSIlDAR CASE: SUKHBIR ASKS DGP TO lOOK INTO
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal on Monday issued “immediate directions” to the State police chief to take required action “by tomorrow” by looking into the controversial case of Amritsar tehsildar. Sukhbir asked the DGP to probe the matter and lodge an FIR if required till Tuesday.
The issue was brought into House’s notice, during the zero hour, by Congress MlA from Kapurthala Rana Gurjit Singh.
Substantiating his assertions with a CD and a pen drive, Rana Gurjit said that tehsildar allegedly forced a wife of an army person for a compromise for the favour in a property related case.
“For intekaal, he asked for sexual favour from the lady. He used Dubai’s SIM to make calls to her. When husband came back home from Kashmir, the wife informed him and they laid a trap, and videographed tehsildar who asked the lady to visit her home,” said Rana Gurjit. But, he said, the Tehsildar registered a “false” case of kidnapping against the lady,m her husband, and some neighbours.
Congress leader alleged that despite an inquiry marked to the DGO (Crime), concerned Tehsildar could not be dismissed as he has Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia’s support.
Irate, Majithia lashed out at Rana Gurjeet for politicizing everything, and that too such a sensitive issue. “Action has been initiated against the concerned officer and inquiry is going on,” said Majithia.
CONGRESS STAGES WAlKOUT ON SC SCHOlARSHIP ISSUE
Congress MlAs staged a walk out for the SAD-BJP Government’s failure to furnish a satisfactory reply on the funds under post-matric scholarship scheme for SC students.
Raising the issue, Congress MlA Sunil Jakhar pointed Union Minister Vijay Sampla’s Statement that out if total 173 crore released by the Centre, Punjab Government has not disbursed Rs 129 crore.
As Mittal prompts State Social Welfare Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike, he assured that the process is not, and the said amount would be disbursed soon.
Jakhar further pointed that the Centre, which has to release more grants under the scheme, was not doing so as the State Government had submitted utilization certificates which were “not correct”.
Perturbed, Mittal rose up from the seat asking Jakhar to sit down, to which Congress leader clarified that he would not abide by his orders. Mittal kept insisting that Jakhar should sit down, while Congress leaders continued their sloganeering.
Not allowing Mittal to speak, they jumped into well of the House and later staged a walk out.